Tracing The Lankford / Lankfard Surname Through Research And Thoughts

It's been a journey Tracing the Lankford / Lankfard Surname Through the children of Robert and Charlotta (Dade) Lankford / Lankfard. With all the documents and what each child left behind as a paper trail, it still leaves a mystery.



On the back of this photo, the surname was spelled LANKFARD

I wasn't out to prove which surname was the family surname. I don't which one is the correct spelling. As I searched the records, the surname could have been Lankfard. It's in records.

What stands out the most isn't what was recorded in records, it was how the surname was recorded. The most important thing was how the siblings wrote on the postcards and how they signed their surname. That's evidence in itself.

As for the tombstones, that's another story. I would think, when a person orders a tombstone, the person who orders it, spells the name out. I don't think it was by accident that the LANKFARD surname was on Robert, Charlotta, Leo and Mary's tombstones.


 Here's the list of the links to the blogs on each child of
Robert and Charlotta (Dade)Lankford / Lankfard

James Andrew LANKFARD
Frederick A. LANKFARD
Isabella V. (LANKFORD/ LANKFARD) NICKERSON
Lula Mae Russell (LANKFARD) MADISON
Anna Alice (LANKFARD) SMITH
Charles Edward LANKFARD
Nymadula / Nym LANKFARD
Louis Adward LANKFARD
Leo LANKFORD /  LANKFARD

 I honor both spelling. My linage spelling is LANKFORD. But, I believe most of the earlier family spell their surname LANKFARD. Somehow the LANKFORD spelling stood out.

Thanks for reading.
S.A. Blakley

Tracing The Lankford / Lankfard Surname: Through Lula Mae Madison

Who was Lula M. Madison?
Lula was born the daughter of Robert and Charlotta (DADE) Lankford / Lankfard
on Oct 11, 1875 in Canton, Missouri.

Lula Mae LANKFARD MADISON

1875 - 1961

Lula was listed with the LANGFORD surname on the 1880 census.

Lula married William Emmanuel Madison Sr. on May 26, 1896.

Lula's maiden name was spelled either LANKFORD or LANKFARD.

The ending of the surname isn't clear.

The index has her surname LANKFORD.

 The only connections with the LANKFARD spelling were on other records of relatives.

On  the   U.S. Social Security Application and Claim Index 1936 - 2007, 

William E. MADISON Jr's mother was listed as Lula LANKFARD.

 

On Lula M. Madison's 1961 obituary in the newspaper,

listed her 3 surviving brothers' surname was spelled LANKFARD.

It appears that Lula went by the LANKFARD surname.

Thanks for reading,

S.A. Blakley

Tracing The Lankford / Lankfard Surname Through Isabella Nickerson

Who Was Isabella NICKERSON?

Isabella V. NICKERSON was the daughter of Robert and Charlotta
 (DADE) LANKFORD / LANKFARD. She was born in St. Joseph, MO.

Mrs. E.W. Nickerson
1889 - 1938

 On the 1900 census,
Isabella was listed born in Sept 1898.
Her age appeared to be first written as 2 but, marked over to be a one.
She would have been two in Sept of 1900.

Her name was spelled: Isabell SANKFORD / SANDFORD LIVED with parents
 and siblings at 2413 Edmond., St. Joseph, MO.

 

On the 1910 Census

Her name was spelled Isabelle V. LANKFARD. She lived with her parents
and siblings at 2412 Edmond.

On the 1920 Census
Her name was listed as Isabel V. LANKFORD on the index.
However, her mother, Charlottie,  household, her surname was spelled LANKFARD.
 Isabel lived with mother and brother, Charles at 516 N 24th St. in St . Joseph, MO.
They were listed as mulatto.
The census was taken on Jan 10, 1920.

 

Isabella married Ezekiel W. Nickerson on August 16, 1920 in Denver Colorado.
Her surname was spelled LANKFORD on marriage index.

Isabella gave birth to a son on  Nov 14, 1924.

 His name was spelled,  LANKFORD J. NICKERSON.

Info from the Nickerson children records Mother's name was
 Elizabeth LANKGFORD
 Isabell V. Lankford
Isbell Langford

I need to update Isabella NICKERSON's information. I have discovered more.
The above names were from 3 of the NICKERSON records.
Her children were young when their mother passed.
Perhaps the informant on the records didn't know how the surname was spelled.

 

Mrs. Isabella V. NICKERSON

It appears that Isabella with by the LANKFORD surname.
She named one of hers son LANKFORD.

Thanks for reading
S.A. Blakley


Tracing The Lankford / Lankfard Surname

I'm working on some blogs on the Lankford / Lankfard Family Connections. I'm comparing how each family member in the Robert and Charlotta (Dade) Lankford / Lankfard branch spelled their family surname. The first time I was aware of the different spellings, was on tombstones.
 

 Tombstone in Ashland Cemetery, St. Joseph, Missouri.

Tombstones in Ashland Cemetery, St. Joseph, Missouri

Over the years, I review on some documents on my Robert and Charlotta (DADE) LANKFORD / LANKFARD family. Recently, I was reviewing some new info. And I come up with this conclusion.  I believe at one point, the family began to spell their surname LANKFARD.

I don't know if the LANKFARD family choose this surname. Or if they discovered that the family spelt it that way. The first recording of surname the LANKFARD spelling, that I have come across, was in the St. Joseph, Missouri City Directory in 1898.  The first document with the LANKFORD spelling was on Lewis LANKFORD and Miss Charlotta DADE's marriage license in 1873.

I have found some documents on the surname spelling. I had been searching records on how some of the Lankfard siblings signed their surnames. There are documents from marriage licenses, U.S. WW I Draft Registration: 1917 - 1918, WW II Draft Registrations: 1942, Post Cards, 1908 / 1910.

There were other records: the City directories: 1880's - 1900's, Tombstones, Newspaper Advertisements, some censuses and the U.S. Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007. The surname was spelled LANKFARD in most cases. 

 

 Here are some of the blogs that I'm working on.  
Tracing The LANKFARD surnames through the Siblings
James Andrew LANKFARD
Frederick A. LANKFARD
Isabella (LANKFORD/ LANKFARD) NICKERSON
Lula Mae Russell (LANKFARD) MADISON
Anna Alice (LANKFARD) SMITH
Charles Edward LANKFARD 
Nymadula LANKFARD
Louis Adward LANKFARD
Leo LANKFORD /  LANKFARD

 I honor both spelling. My linage spelling is LANKFORD. But, I believe most of the earlier family spell their surname LANKFARD. Somehow the LANKFORD spelling stood out.

Thanks for reading.
S.A. Blakley

A Brief History: Part 3 ~ The Lankford Surname

A Brief History: The LANKFORD / LANKFARD Family Connections

The LANKFORD Surname

On the Lankford brothers' World War 1 and 2 Draft Reg. Cards

Most of the spelling of the LANKFORD name was spelled or signed as LANKFARD.

On LANKFORD Marriage Records for Frederick, Lula and Alice...

Their surname was spelled LANKFARD.

The descendants of Robert Lewis LANKFARD Sr., son of Leo and Mary
(ALLEN) LANKFORD / LANKFARD spell their surname LANKFARD.

Tombstones at Ashland Cemetery in St. Joseph, Missouri

Robert Louis' and Charlotta's surname on grave marker spelled LANKFARD. 

  

Leo's and Mary's surname on grave markers spelled LANKFARD

 ~ Which was it Lankford? Or Lankfard?  ~
We don't know the story behind the surname spelling.
But, I think that there was something to do with it. 



There has been so much new discoveries since...

I posted this original blog The Lankford / Lankfard Family on July 10, 2010.

 

The Lankford / Lankfard Family : Canton, Missouri Connections

The Robert and Charlotta (DADE) LANKFORD / LANKFARD Family
St. Joseph, Missouri
Photo taken in the early 1890's

I can only imagine when and why the Lankford / Lanford Family choose to moved to St. Joseph, MO. Also, I have been wondering, what was the original spelling of the family surname? I find that interesting about the spelling.

When did the LANKFORD / LANKFARD Family make their way to St. Joseph, Missouri?
Why did some family members spell their surname LANKFARD,
While the most spell their surname LANKFORD?

The Search: LANKFORD / LANKFARD

Robert Louis / Lewis and Charlotta (DADE) Lankford / Lankfard were the first two family members that I have come across with the family surname. There isn't  much know about Robert's mother. I don't know if she carried the Lankford / Lankfard surname. I heard that Robert's mother passed away in Canton, MO. Robert had a sister, Mamie MORTON.

I don't know when Robert and Charlotta came or when left Canton, Missouri. Robert was born in KY. Charlotta was born in MO. Charlotta had children born in Lewis County MO from 1873 - 1885.

I can only assume when the Robert and Charlotta left Canton. I think it was some time during the mid - 1880's. Charlotta didn't have any children from 1886 - 1889. That could have been the time they moved. (One reason for the move could have been Robert was looking for work. He was a mason.)

I've been searching the cities directories. I came across some Lankfords. The names were spelled Langford, Lankford and Lankfard. I have found the surname spelled other ways during my search.

I came across a Robert L. Lankford on a 1887 city directory. He was listed as a mason. I do believe that this Robert was the correct Robert who was married to Charlotta. There was a James and a Louis Lankford who were masons as well. I can only assume that they were related. They were all listed as colored and all worked as a mason.

The first time I saw a different spelling (other than LANFORD) was on a 1890 city directory. The surname was spelled LANKFERD in the St. Joseph, MO. The first time surname spelled LANKFARD was in 1898. So, I searching searching more city directories.

I found Robert's surname spelling as LANKFARD on the 1898, 1902, 1904, 1911, 1913, and 1916 city directories. I came across some of Robert's and Charlotta's children names in the same city directories. Their surname was spellled LANKFARD. There was another city directory. The surname was spelled LANKFORD.

As for the census records, most of the family surname was spelled LANKFORD. Now as I look back, I can see that the surname was LANKFARD at one point. But majority of the family members spelled the surname LANKFORD.

I have traced back to 1870 to Lewis with a different spelling of Lankford. Lewis was a.k.a as Robert L. Lankfard.  His surname was spelled LANGFORD on the 1870 census. However, he was married under the name of  LEWIS LANKFORD in 1873 in Canton, Missouri. Also, he was listed as Lewis LANGFORD on the 1880 Census.

Lewis started using the name Robert L. Lankford some time in the 1880's. Some how the switch was made. Robert had a son named Louis born in 1882. That could have been a reason.

I think that The LANKFORD/ LANKFARD Family moved away from Canton, MO between 1885 - 1887. They lived some where else before they settled in St. Joseph, MO about 1890. Robert continued to go by Robert L. LANKFORD on some records.

All of Robert and Charlotta's children spelled their surname as LANKFARD at some point in their lifetime. There are marriage records, WWI, WWII Draft registrations, Grave markers and City Directories that have the LANKFARD surname.  Here are some of my blogs that I have posted on the Lankford / Lankfard Surname

The Search: LANKFARD / LANKFORDThere were some family members who kept the LANKFARD spelling. The descendants of Robert Lewis LANKFARD Sr.  This Robert was the son of Leo and Mary (ALLEN) Lankford Sr.

I believe that Nymudula "Nym" kept the LANKFARD spelling as well. Nym and his wife Irene and daughter, Marjorie were the only family members listed on the 1940 census with the LANKFARD spelling.

I first learned of the LANKFARD spelling when I came across these grave markers.

Grave markers are in Ashland Cemetery

 LANKFORD or LANKFARD?
It could have been the way the some of the family members choose to spell their surname.
There could have been something to that.
The Mysteries Lingers.

Robert and Charlotta's grave markers are in Ashland Cemetery in St. Joseph, Missouri.
Robert and Charlotta live in Denver, Colorado about 1917 - 1919.


Charlotta lived in New York eight months before her passing in 1924.
Robert passed away in St. Joseph, MO in 1919.
Charlotta's body was brought back to St. Joseph, MO for burial.


Robert's surname on his death record was spelled LANKFORD.
Charlotta's surname on her death record was spelled LANKFARD.

According to records:

Robert LEWIS LANFORD / LANKFARD
a.k.a Lewis LANKFORD
 LANFORD surname was the first known spelling..1873
Than LANGFORD on the 1870 and 1880 Census
1890 it was spelled LANKFERD
1895 it was spelled LANKFARD
1919 Tombstone it was spelled  LANKFARD


OTHER LANKFORDs / LANGFORDs
I did come across some other Lankfords, Langfords in St. Joseph
during the same time Robert and Charlotta were living...
 I don't know if they were related.
They live in the same area as the LANKFARDs.
Perhaps that was why the spelling change.
Or it was the way people pronounced the surname
that ended with FARD came out.
(I've seen the ending spell FORT on one relative.)

If we search all the relatives that carried the LANKFORDs and LANKFARD,
we might see some things.
I come to believe that The Family surname was spelled LANKFARD.
Robert and Charlotta LANKFARD's children records shows us that it was.
Some how, some family members had to choose which spelling to go by.
It appears that the LANKFORD surname was what most choose.
The LANKFORD surname was passed down through the generations.
Also, The LANKFARD was passed down through the generations.

I honor both spellings.
The Robert L. and Charlotta (Dade) LANKFORD / LANKARD Connections
The Leo and Mary (Allen) LANFORD / LANKFARD Connections
The Nym and Irene LANKFARD Connections
The Robert Lewis LANKFARD Connections

In all, I heard that the orginal spelling was LANKFARD.
I can relate to the surname differences
 The BLAKEY / BLAKLEY Connections
At times its spelled BLAKELY.
BLAKEY was the way majority spell the family surname.
BLAKEY / WHITE was the slave holders surname.

P.S.

I don't know if LANKFORD or LANKFARD was the slave name.
I have heard that the slave holders' surname was MORTON.
It's ironic that some of the MORTON family moved to St. Joseph, MO.

The LANKFORD/ LANKFARD and MORTON family had connections.
Mamie MORTON was Robert's half sister.

Thanks for reading.

Hope to find more info.
The Journey Continues

Another Look At The Lankford Surname

As I continue to search on my mother's side, her family surname has been spelled so many ways. Those spelling include: Langford, Langfurd, Lanford, Laukford, Landford, Lankferd, Sandford, Sankford, and Lankfard. There may have been others spellings.

Robert Louis Lankford (also known as Lewis Lankford) was my Great Grandpa. On his and Great Grandma Charlotta's tombstone their surname was spelled LANKFARD.  When I came across their tombstone in the 1990's, I thought that their surname was misspelled.

As I searched more on that Ashland Cemetery, I saw that there were others who with the LANKFARD spelling. My Grandparents Leo and Mary. Their tombstone was spelled LANKFARD. I can assume that that was the original name. Or that was a chosen surname that was taken after slavery.
Maybe the Lankford name may not have been the slave name. Story has it that the slave name might have been Morton. Great Grandpa Robert had a half sister, named Mamie Mortorn. 

Mamie was half black. She was said to have been the slave owner's daughter. Robert and Mamie had the same mother. On Robert's death record his parents were not known. Robert was born in KY.

I haven't found any leads on Mamie Morton. Mamie could have married in KY where she  was living. Recently, I've come across someone searching the Morton who the Lankfords worked for...I thought that was nice.

While I was looking over some records, I notice some things. Robert went by Lewis when he was married to Charlotta Dade in 1873. On the 1870 and 1880 census, his name was Lewis Langford. On the 1900, I had a hard time finding him. His name was R.S. or R. L. Sankford.

It wasn't until the 1910 that I came across Robert L. Lankford. In 1920 and 1920 his name was Robert Lankford. I wonder what happened. Was Robert going by his middle name at first? Or did he change his name?

It would be nice to have known more about my Great Grandpa Robert and his parents. I wonder if there were other siblings. I can only go back to Robert Louis LANKFORD. Perhaps that was the name that his choice.

So was his name spelled Robert Louis Lankford? Or Robert Lewis Lankfard? Either ways goes. As long as we know who was who or who's who on the family tree that matter. 

While On The Journey,
Another Look At The Lankford Surname

The Mystery Continues:
Perhaps the family surname could have been another name. Each person with the LANKFORD surname spelled the family name the way that they choose. I noticed how the LANKFORD surname was spelled and signed through the World War I and II Draft Records, Marriage Licences, Post Cards, Letters, City Directories, Census Records and Tombstones.

The Mystery Reminds:
Blessings,
Susan

How Did The Family Surname Get From LANKFARD to LANKFORD?

I can't recall when I first started noticing my mother's family surname. The Lankford surname had been spelled many ways over the centuries. LANGFORD, LAUNKFORD, LANFERD, LANDFORD, LANKFORT.  I've always thought the spelling was LANKFORD.

For some time now I've been thinking about the LANKFORD spelling. I can't recall when I first saw the LANKFARD spelling. It might have been on my Grandparents Robert and Charlotta's tombstones around 1991. I was looking for their grave sites.

As I continued to search, I came across some more info. My Grandpa's parents' (Leo and Mary) surname was spelled LANKFARD on their tombstone. I think that there was something to that.

As I did some more research on the LANFORD brothers' World War 1 and 2 Draft Reg Card, I came across the surname. Most of them had their surname spelled or signatures LANFARD. There were about two occasions when the name was spelled LANFORD.

There were two LANKFORD sisters Anna Alice (Smith) and Lula (Madison) who had their maiden name spelled LANKFARD on their marriage record. What's the odds of that? There has to be some reason why the surname was spelled LANKFARD. But what?

I wondered why other cousins spelled their surname LANKFARD. Cousin, Robert Lewis Lankfard Sr. told my that his father, Robert, (my Uncle) told him that the surname was spelled LANKFARD.

Last year, I spoke with cousin Leo Lankford the 3rd about the surname. He didn't know the reason behind the spelling. Perhaps when the LANFARD brothers, Louis, Frederick and Nym went to New York, the surname was changed. Who knows?

It could have been how the name was pronounced. Or perhaps how people spelled the surname. I haven't heard of the source of the reason why the different spellings. I'm more to believe that the correct spelling was LANKFARD. It reminds a mystery in why the surname was changed.

Thanks for reading.
How  Did The Family Surname Get From LANKFARD to LANKFORD?
I don't know....
Staying On The Family History Journey,
Susan

The LANKFORD Brothers Signatures On WW I and WW II Draft Reg Cards

James Andrew signed his name  LANKFARD

Louis Adward LANKFARD in 1942 but Louis LANFORD in 1917-1918

Frederick or Fred signed his name LANKFARD on both cards.

Leo signed his surname ? It appears to be LANKFARD. His left hand and leg were paralazed.

Nym or Nymadula signed his surname Nym LANKFORD and Nymadula LANKFARD

 Note: I wonder why some signed their names that way. I think there was something to that. James, Louis, Frederick and Nym signed their surnames LANKFARD. (It appears that Leo signed his surname that was too. )

Staying On The Family History Journey,Susan

What One Letter Change In A Surname Does

On November 2, 2009, I finally came across my mother's father's parents on the 1900 census records on ancestry.com. I had a feeling that their names where misspelled on the index. And so, that was the case.

I started out to search for my ancestors, page by page on the 1900 census. It took a while. I had an idea where they could have lived.  Their home address was 2413 Edmond Street, St. Joseph, Missouri.

There was a city directory. I checked the 1889-1899 book. Lo and behold my Great Grandpa Robert L. Lankford was listed. So, I began my search.

I later found out that their surnames was indexed with an S. It was an L. There is a big different in that one little letter. It didn't help out in my search. Only if the person in charge of the handwriting interruption could have seem that L.

But it does look like an S. Or maybe the census taker heard the S word when the family surname were pronounced. And as through this discovery, it lead to another mystery.

While On The Journey
What One Letter Change In A Surname Does

Sankford and Lankford...there is a different.
It's good to know things can be found.
But it may take some time in finding out.

Blessings,
Susan

P.S
On that 1900 census all the L's were S's by that census taker.
Here is an example of Letters of the 17th Center Found in Parish Registers

Here was what was written for the Lankford household in 1900

Members: Name         Age

R S Sankford           48

Charlottie Sankford    47

Freddie Sankford       22

Addie S Sankford    19

Sea Sankford           16

Annie A Sankford      14

Charlie Sankford        10

Mymadula Sankford    4

Isabell Sankford          1

Vernon Johnson         21